Five Star Déise Bang Five Goals to Reach League Final

Waterford Senior Ladies Football team are through to a first Division Two National League Final for the first time since 1986 after they overcame the challenge of Cavan in the second of this year’s semi finals played at Banagher in glorious sunshine this afternoon running out winners with 13 points to spare at the end of the hour.

The same two sides clashed at the same stage of the competition 12 months ago and on that occasion in Birr it was the Ulster side that emerged as victors advancing to a final appearance against Tipperary on a 1-8 to 0-8 score line.

Waterford down the years have never found it easy against opposition from Ulster on the bigger days in the games calendar and at the break it looked as if Ciaran Curran’s side could well have it all to do again in this game, but a brilliant second half performance in which Waterford struck four goals in a nine minute spell in the final quarter of this game by proved to be the winning and losing of this battle.

Trailing 2-5 to 1-7 at the break two of Waterford’s second half goals were struck by Michelle Ryan one of the longest serving players in the game to the one she scored in the first quarter of the game, while Chloe Fennell and Maria Delahunty also had green flags waved.

The early exchanges in this game suggested that a tight battle was going to be fought.

Aisling Gilsenan opened the scoring with a free inside two minutes but it was quickly cancelled out with an effort from Eimear Fennell.

Donna English and Michelle Ryan swapped scores by the fourth minutes before Cavan struck for the first goal of this game on six minutes when Geraldine Sheridan showed the Waterford defence a clean pair or heels and while Rosie Landers did well to keep wing forwards effort out of the net which she was guarding she was powerless to keep Aishling Sheridan’s rebound from hitting the onion sack, as the Ulster side went 1-2 to 0-2 in front.

Waterford however wasted no time in responding as Maria Delahunty and Michelle Ryan both had white flags waved before the pair combined once more on 10 minutes, Michelle Ryan acting quickest when a Maria Delahunty free fell short and the Ballymacarbry star fisted an effort to the roof of Elaine Walsh’s net putting Waterford 1-4 to 1-2 in front.

Eimear Fennell and Maria Delahunty from frees helped extend Waterford’s lead to four before Sinead Greene was sin binned on 17 minutes after she picked up a yellow card.

The Ulster side however played some of their best football with a numerical disadvantage even if Maria Delahunty from another free was first to score after Greene was sent to the line for 10 minutes.

Aishling Maguire with a brace of scores and one from Aisling Gilsenan from another free made it a two point game with six minutes of the half remaining, but the Cavan ladies would turn around with a point advantage showing on the score board when Gilsenan combined with Shauna Lynch for a second goal firing low into Rosie Landers net.

Waterford however came out for the second half all guns blazing as Maria Delahunty and Róisín Tobin both from play edged Waterford back in front before Maria Delahunty this time from a free gave Waterford a 1-10 to 2-5 advantage six minutes after the restart.

Ciara Finnegan and Chloe Fennell swapped scores before Aisling Maguire and Maria Delahunty did likewise to keep Waterford in front 1-12 to 2-7 mid way through the second half.

Aisling Maguire made it a single point game on 47 minutes before Waterford turned the game very much in their favour.

Michelle Ryan attempt for a point dropped into Eimear Walsh’s net with 11 minutes to go and moments later the same player completed her hat-trick as it began to look like as if it would be Waterford’s day.

Geraldine Sheridan pulled a point back for the Ulster side but Waterford were not finished as Chloe Fennell and Maria Delahunty both landed late goals for Waterford and Michelle Ryan rounded off a memorable afternoon for her hitting the last score of the game for the Déise Ladies.

Waterford: Rosie Landers; Katy Hayes, Caoimhe McGrath, Rebecca Casey; Kate McGrath, Megan Dunford, Róisín Tobin; Karen McGrath, Emma Murray; Kelly Ann Hogan, Michelle Ryan, Katie Murray; Eimear Fennell, Maria Delahunty, Aileen Wall.

Subs: Chloe Fennell for Katy Hayes (h-t), Liz Devine for Eimear Fennell (58), Shauna Dunphy for Emma Murray (59), Aisling Mullaney for Megan Dunford (62), Lauren McGregor for Kelly Anne Hogan (62).

Scorers: Michelle Ryan 3-03, Maria Delahunty 1-06 (0-03f), C Fennell 1-1, Eimear Fennell 0-02 (0-01f), Róisín Tobin 0-01.

Cavan: Elaine Walsh; Laura Fitzpatrick, Shauna Lynch, Neasa Byrd; Sinead Greene, Mona Sheridan, Ciara Finnegan; Donna English, Sinead O’Sullivan; Joanne Moore, Aishling Maguire, Aisling Gilsenan; Shanise Fitzsimons, Aishling Sheridan, Geraldine Sheridan.

Subs: Andrea O’Reilly for Shanise Fitzsimons (38), Sinead McGovern for Aisling Gilsenan (53).

Scorers: Aishling Maguire 0-04 (0-04f), Aisling Sheridan, Shauna Lynch 1-00 each, Aisling Gilsenan 0-02 (0-02f), Geraldine Sheridan, Ciara Finnegan, Donna English 0-01 each.

Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).